Hawaii

The U.S. Geological Survey said lava fountains from a fissure in the volcano reached as high as 55 metres over the weekend, pushing flows of molten rock into the ocean.

The Hawaii Emergency Management Agency said seismic activity at the crater continues with gas explosions and ash eruptions under 3,050 metres but while the eruption is never predictable, conditions appear stable for the moment.

The Kapoho Beach Lots and Vacationland subdivisions were engulfed by a flow of molten rock some 3m to 4.6m tall.

It brings to at least 350 the number of homes and other structures consumed by volcanic lava during the past month.

That latest toll of property losses from Kilauea's ongoing upheaval, which entered its 35th day on Wednesday, far surpasses the 215 structures destroyed by lava during all 35 years of the volcano's last eruption cycle, which began in 1983.

The ongoing eruption, which has produced rivers of lava, is also threatening to cover more wells at a geothermal power station.

Officials have said the power plant is safe but residents fear it may be explosive.

The eruption of Kilauea, which began on May 3rd, has so far destroyed 82 homes and fast moving lava is continuing to force evacuations.

United States weather officials on Guam issued a special weather update on Sunday about the "haze plume" that is expected to continue moving westward through the Federated States of Micronesia.

Hawaii residents refer to the haze caused by volcanic eruptions on the Big Island as "vog," a phenomenon now being experienced in the Marshall Islands, more than 2,300 miles to the southwest of the Hawaiian Islands.

The volcano in Hawaii is now in its fourth week of continuous eruptions.

The injured man was sitting on a balcony at his home when "lava spatter" - projectile molten rock - landed on him.

"It hit him on the shin and shattered everything there down on his leg," a spokeswoman for the county mayor said.

Lava spatters can weigh "as much a refrigerator", she told Reuters.

The Kilauea volcano on Hawaii's Big Island erupted at the beginning of May, and the situation for residents has steadily been worsening.

People on Big Island are preparing for the worst as officials urge communities in high risk areas to be ready to evacuate at a moment's notice.

Kilauea's official volcano threat was raised from orange to red over the past two days, as the summit's crater showed signs that a more violent eruption could follow.

Civil defense is urging locals to remain vigilant and heed warnings, with people being informed about designated evacuation centres.

Thousands of people have already evacuated their homes after the eruption destroyed around 30 structures in the past two weeks.

Nearly 2,000 people have been evacuated since the volcano erupted May 3, sending lava flowing into communities and threatening a nearby geothermal plant.

An 18th fissure, a crack on the ground through which lava pours out, was reported Sunday, according to the Civil Defense Emergency System for the County of Hawaii.

The Department of Public Works and Police said the new fissure opened on Hale Kamahina Loop Road and is emitting steam and lava.

The Hawaiian Volcano Observatory said a new fissure had spewed lava up to 70 metres into the air and new cracks had opened on a highway about 19 kilometres from where the Kilauea volcano erupted on Friday.

The southeast corner of the Big Island was rocked by a 6.9 tremor on Saturday, and more earthquakes and eruptions are expected.

State officials said the lava eruptions are far from tourist areas, and is business as usual on the rest of the island.

Kilauea, one of the world's most active volcanoes, has been in constant eruption for 35 years.

The Civil Defense Agency said there were fissures on three streets and told any remaining residents to evacuate.

It said there were deadly levels of dangerous sulphur dioxide gas in the air and emergency crews would not be able to help anyone affected.

The new activity comes a day after Kilauea volcano erupted.

A number of increasingly strong earthquakes rocked the area after the eruption, with a 6.9 magnitude quake reportedly occurring south of the volcano.

The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center tweeted that there was no tsunami threat from the quake.

Reports from Hawaii said the quake followed hundreds of smaller earthquakes that have prompted preparations for a possible eruption.

The US Geological Survey has issued a volcano watch after an open vent below the nearby lava lake collapsed and triggered the quakes.

Plumes of pink smoke have been coming up out of the volcano and the quake was widely felt by residents.

The Pacific Tsunami Warning Centre reported there was no tsunami warning issued.